Resident Perspectives
Kadeem Bartley, Class of 2018
Current Title/Organization: Board certified pediatric dentist/owner at Windsor Pediatric Dentistry in East Granby, CT
Dental School: University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine
Hometown: Portmore, Jamaica
What one thing did you learn that you most use in your practice?
Compassion - at Eastman we always treated the child and not just their teeth.
Favorite memory of your residency
Thursday orthodontic classes with Dr. Cynthia Wong and my co residents. It was our weekly group meditation session.
One piece of advice you would give to a resident coming into the program?
Learn all that you can from the awesome attendings! Enjoy the next 2 years and don’t miss the jazz festival!
Lauren Rothstein, Class of 2018
Current Title/Organization: Pediatric Dentist in private practice
Dental School: University of Pittsburgh
Hometown: Melville, New York
What one thing did you learn that you most use in your practice?
The program prepares you well to be thorough but work in a fast- paced environment which is important when it comes to pediatric dentistry.
Favorite memory of your residency
Anything involving my co-residents. We had a great group and I still keep in touch with them today. In addition, my experiences in the OR allowed for one on one instruction and helped hone my skills that I use in everyday practice.
One piece of advice you would give to a resident coming into the program?
Try to take in as much as you can from each faculty member. They all have different experiences and ideas that you can take with you into your practice.
Anything else that would be helpful to share?
If you enjoy the outdoors, Rochester has a lot to offer. Make sure to take time to explore and go hiking, skiing, to Niagara Falls and spend time by the Finger Lakes.
Jeff Monaco, Class of 2017
Current Title/Organization: Pediatric Dentist in private practice
Dental School: University of Pennsylvania
Hometown: North Tonawanda, NY
What one thing did you learn that you most use in your practice?
There are many valuable things I learned while in residency that I now use in practice. Amongst the most important EIOH allowed me to see a high volume of patients while in the clinic, which really prepared me for what I would face in private practice. Seeing so many patients allowed me to experience and learn from all kinds of problems seen in pediatric dental patients. I was able to get a lot of experience in simple and complex restorative procedures, pathology, sedation/general anesthesia, behavior management, and special needs areas. A passion of mine is treating patients with special needs, both in-office and in the operating room, which I got significant exposure to while at EIOH.
Favorite memory of your residency
My favorite memory is just the friends I made. My co-residents and I were all very close and remain close to this day. My co-residents had all different backgrounds and very different dental experiences. It was so helpful to have good co-residents to learn from, and to go through the highs and lows of residency.
One piece of advice you would give to a resident coming into the program?
My advice to any resident going through the pediatric dental program would be to remain positive and take advantage of the opportunities EIOH gives to. At times, residency will be stressful. But I always tried to stay positive by reminding myself that I love doing what I do and with hard work I will achieve my goals. EIOH allowed me to learn as much as I wanted to. If you have a specific area of interest (like I did with special needs patients), there will be many opportunities to get involved. Take advantage of those opportunities.
Nikhil Sharma, Class of 2015
Current Title/Organization: Pediatric Dentist at Apple Tree Dental for Kids in Toronto Canada.
Dental School: McGill Dentistry, Montreal
Hometown: Montreal, Canada
What one thing did you learn that you most use in your practice?
Managing parents is equally and sometimes even more important than managing the child patient!
Favorite memory of your residency
Dr. McLaren's House Dinners & Starbursts in Marianne's Office!
One piece of advice you would give to a resident coming into the program?
Try to learn at least ONE new thing every day during your residency.
Anything else helpful to share?
Have these 3 Goals for your Residency - Learn, Make new friends, and Improve yourself as a dentist. Soak it all in like a sponge, and enjoy every minute of it!
Chris Dixon, Class of 2013
Current Title/Organization: Owner/Pediatric Dentist at Peak Pediatric Dentistry in Carlsbad, California
Dental School: New York University College of Dentistry
Hometown: Carlsbad, California
What one thing did you learn that you most use in your practice?
Techniques in behavior guidance, as residents we studied different techniques, applied these techniques, then discussed as a group. The goals are to reduce fear and anxiety, to deliver quality care but most importantly, to promote a positive dental experience creating lifelong confidence for children in the dental setting. I use these techniques daily and with each patient.
Favorite memory of your residency
The cohesiveness of our resident class. We spent a lot of time together and I developed life-long friendships. Today in private practice when challenges arise, I often reach out first to my co-residents for advice and strategy.
One piece of advice you would give to a resident coming into the program?
Be prepared to work hard. This program is fast-paced and full of information. Sometimes it's like drinking from a fire hydrant with the amount of information coming at a resident. The training is excellent and well rounded, a complete training for a future in Pediatric Dentistry.
Anything else that would be helpful to share?
Rochester is a fantastic city to do post-doctoral training. It is a vibrant city with lots of energy, culture, and activity. And it helps that it is an affordable place to live, perfect for a resident's lifestyle!
Merila Atarodi, Class of 2011
Current Title/Organization: I currently work in a private pediatric dental office in Dallas.
Dental School: I got my DDS from a foreign university, and completed AEGD and Pediatric Dentistry at Eastman Institute for Oral Health.
Hometown: Tehran, Iran
What one thing did you learn that you most use in your practice?
I learned a lot in my pediatric residency especially in the field of growth and development, and dental trauma.
Favorite memory of your residency
Throughout my two years residency, I made lots of great friends with so many great memories
One piece of advice you would give to a resident coming into the program?
At Eastman all the residents have the great opportunities to see lots of difficult cases and expand their knowledge, so I recommend to learn as much as they can from their amazing faculty! Wish you all the best.